Robert C. Browning Papers1916-1999

The Robert C. Browning Papers contains material from the professional engineering work of Robert C. Browning, and his father, R. Getty Browning. Robert C. Browning's materials contain project files, drawings, project photographs, engineering instruments related to his work as a consulting engineer. The project files are a sampling of Browning's engineering projects from the 1950s until the mid-1990s. His projects are mainly located at hospitals, colleges, and warehouse facilities. The types of documents found most often in Browning's project files are notes, sketches, working drawings, specifications, correspondence, budgeting and costs, engineering standards, and equipment catalogs. The equipment catalogs were put out by the manufacturers of machines and industrial equipment that Browning either installed or considered installing in project locations. Browning's collection also contains a box of personal information. This box includes diplomas, conferences attended, papers given, and Browning's resume at various points in his career. Also included is a profile of the Robert C. Browning Consulting Firm and a projects list. Engineering drawings in the Robert Browning Collection are shop drawings or blue prints. Some are drawn in the original pencil, others are copies. Copies of drawings often contain new revisions and added notes. The drawings illustrate plans for plumbing, electrical, lighting, structural, floor plans, exhaust, air conditioning, and heating. The Robert C. Browning Papers also include are materials from R. Getty Browning's work as Chief Locating Engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (previously named Highway Commission). Included in the collection are project files, biographical papers, and artifacts. In the project files are materials relating to Getty Browning's work in the planning and construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway. These files contain correspondence, notes, maps, sketches, photographs and publicity materials. Biographical papers include newspaper clippings, photographs and publicity created by or about Getty Browning before and after his death. Also included are papers related to his work in the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The artifacts in the collection are engineering and surveying equipment used by Getty Browning.

Robert C. Browning (1919-2007) and his father, R. Getty Browning (1884-1966), worked as engineers in North Carolina. Robert C. Browning earned a degree in consulting engineering from North Carolina State University in 1941. After serving in the Army as an engineer during World War II, Browning came back to the United States and started his own consulting engineering firm. As a consulting engineer, Robert C. Browning worked on the construction and renovations of schools, hospitals, industrial plants, and commercial buildings from 1953 until the mid-1990s. Projects at these locations included air conditioning, plumbing, heating, electrical, communications, storm drainage, water and sewer, grading, site planning, structural, central heating plants, steam distribution systems, highway right-of way acquisition, claims investigations, and highway location. R. Getty Browning worked as the Chief Locating Engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation from 1925 to 1958. He is best known for planning the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina starting in 1934.

Biographical/historical note

Robert Cooper Browning (1919-2007) and his father R. (Robert) Getty Browning (1884-1966), both made their living as engineers in North Carolina. Robert C. Browning was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1919, but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1941 he graduated from NC State College (now North Carolina State University) with a degree in civil engineering. He worked as a buildings contractor for his first job. He then moved to Virginia to work for a firm which designed streets, railway yards, and storm drains. During World War II, Browning joined the US Army Corps of Engineers. In this position, from 1942 until 1945, Browning engineered and constructed hospitals in England. He also went on reconnaissance missions to survey and rebuild damaged buildings in European cities. After the war Browning came back to Raleigh and started a consulting engineering firm with partner, Charlie Landstreet. In 1956, Landstreet retired, and Browning became sole proprietor of the firm.

As a consulting engineer Browning's main services were investigations, reports, designs, supervision, and appraisals. He worked in the fields of air conditioning, plumbing, heating, electrical, communications, storm drainage, water and sewer, grading, site planning, structural, central heating plants, steam distribution systems, highway right-of way acquisition, claims investigations, and highway location. The areas where he worked included hospitals, schools, industrial plants, commercial buildings, and highways and bridges.
Browning worked on several major projects, each spanning a number of years. One of these was Rex Hospital, where he consulted for 25 years. Projects included: a new electrical distribution system, central air conditioning, and the design of a 40-bed nursing wing. Another major hospital project was the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center (formerly the Cape Fear Valley Hospital) in Fayetteville where Browning worked on over 50 construction and renovation projects from the 1950s to the mid 1990s. In terms of academic buildings, Browning spent 30 years as a consulting engineer for Campbell University (formerly Campbell College) and Elon University. As an engineering profession, Browning contributed to the North Carolina engineering field, and held several leadership positions such as President of the Professional Engineers of North Carolina, President of the North Carolina Association of the Professions, President of the Triangle International Trade Association, and Vice President of the North Carolina World Trade Association.

R. Getty Browning, Robert C. Browning's father, started his engineering career in Maryland, where he designed bridges, highways and railroads. He moved to North Carolina in 1921, drawn by the start of major road construction projects in the state. This led him to a job at the Highway Commission (renamed the North Carolina Department of Transportation), where Browning worked as Chief Locating Engineer from 1925 to 1958. R. Getty Browning is best known for designing the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 1934 he lobbied for the placement of this scenic highway through western North Carolina, instead of Tennessee. Using his own knowledge of the landscape, Browning mapped out a road that would not only link the two national parks (Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains), but would be a scenic attraction in itself. From 1934 through the 1950s, Browning continued to design the route, although it would not be completed until 1987.

Scope/content

The Robert C. Browning Papers contains material from the professional engineering work of Robert C. Browning, and his father, R. Getty Browning. Robert C. Browning's materials contain project files, drawings, project photographs, engineering instruments related to his work as a consulting engineer. The project files are a sampling of Browning's engineering projects from the 1950s until the mid-1990s. His projects are mainly located at hospitals, colleges, and warehouse facilities. The types of documents found most often in Browning's project files are notes, sketches, working drawings, specifications, correspondence, budgeting and costs, engineering standards, and equipment catalogs. The equipment catalogs were put out by the manufacturers of machines and industrial equipment that Browning either installed or considered installing in project locations. Browning's collection also contains a box of personal information. This box includes diplomas, conferences attended, papers given, and Browning's resume at various points in his career. Also included is a profile of the Robert C. Browning Consulting Firm and a projects list.
Engineering drawings in the Robert Browning Collection are shop drawings or blue prints. Some are drawn in the original pencil, others are copies. Copies of drawings often contain new revisions and added notes. The drawings illustrate plans for plumbing, electrical, lighting, structural, floor plans, exhaust, air conditioning, and heating.

The Robert C. Browning Papers also include are materials from R. Getty Browning's work as Chief Locating Engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (previously named Highway Commission). Included in the collection are project files, biographical papers, and artifacts. In the project files are materials relating to Getty Browning's work in the planning and construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway. These files contain correspondence, notes, maps, sketches, photographs and publicity materials. Biographical papers include newspaper clippings, photographs and publicity created by or about Getty Browning before and after his death. Also included are papers related to his work in the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The artifacts in the collection are engineering and surveying equipment used by Getty Browning.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into two series:

Series 1. Robert C. Browning Papers

Series 2. R. Getty Browning Papers

Use of these materials

The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Robert C. Browning Papers, MC 00279,
Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Access to the collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice.
Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials,
access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Robert C. Browning Papers, MC 00279,
Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.